thumbs - thanks for getting my back earlier in the thread. I was certainly aware that Battier was drafted the year before, but there was some talk of him being traded, and the Rockets having interest just before last year's draft. I'd still take him over most other S.F. in the league for one reason: He has a higher b-ball I.Q. than all Rockets (except Ming) combined!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree that those on the Duke list have not performed as well as they we're expected but injuries did play a part in few of those players. I also don't believe maggette is a bust, he's very much underated. He came out as a freshman that could only make spectacular dunks but now with all the experience and work he's gain he's very good, improving his size(he's build like a rock now), mid and long range jumper, rebounding and esp. his defense and he's still just 23. He's doing pretty well this season with 16pts, 5 reb. and 2 ast per game in 32mins. As for Battier he's also still young and did pretty decent last season as a rookie. As for 4 years in college, he just seems like a college guy. I remember seeing him and he just doesn't look like a conceded guy, he had no bling bling on, no expesive gear, etc. He just looked like a college guy trying to get by paying school tuition. He was wearing a white T shirt, some plain tan shorts, slippers, and a regular school backpack while shaking hands with people and signing autographs with a big smile. You would never thought he was a multi millionaire in the NBA. I could just picture him and Yao riding bicycles to Compaq Center together.
Battier alone has more basketball savvy than the entire Rockets team combined. Maybe his smarts will rub off on mental midgets like Francis and Mobley?
Only way we get access to the Memphis' young guys is by taking on bad contracts. Isn't the reason they're available to allow for a salary decrease for Memphis? Unless of course you have the Mike Miller. I doubt they'd take Mobley, even with a desirable contract, as they don't want the salary. Insider reported that Memphis wants to make a splash in the 2004 free agent market "KOBE". We have Rice that would fit the bill for Memphis, in that his contract goes away in 2004. I can see us moving Nachbar if we could get our hands on Battier or Swift, while taking back a "bad" contract to balance it out. I'm not drawing it up though, I can't find the logic to support a large (more than two for two) deal between these two teams. IMO...I'd sure do Rice/Nachbar for Swift/Wright. Team ending with single best player wins the trade, Swift is the best player of that group. I'm not too pumped on bringing in Battier, but in the right deal, I'd trade my mama, if it meant the Rox were improved.
